"Daddeeeee!"
Sydney brightens as she hears Michael's key in the front door and the sound of her little girl's footsteps, followed, today, by Jack's. For once, Sydney isn't standing at the stove, slaving over a hot meal; she is descending the stairs in an elegant midnight blue dress, her hair curled and pulled back, her makeup flawless. She feels glamorous; she thinks there is a reason she started enjoying Michael's office functions infinitely more after the children were born. It is nice, once in awhile, to leave the baby bottles and Matchbox cars behind and just feel beautiful.
"Hi, princess," she hears Michael say. "And Jack. You were able to tear yourself away from your basketball hoop and come say hi to your old man for once?"
Jack sounds sheepish. "Amanda's bringing Aaron over when she comes to baby-sit tonight," he admits, naming Amanda's six-year-old brother. "I've been waiting for them."
"Of course," Michael laughs.
"Aaron's going to stay here overnight, Michael," Sydney says as she appears at the bottom of the stairs. "I thought Amanda could just put him to bed when she puts Jack and Em down, and there's no point in her waking him when we-- what?" Michael is staring at her, wide-eyed.
"Sydney-- wow," he says, shaking his head. "That dress is insane."
"You like?" she asks with a delighted smile.
"I like very much," he says, setting Emily down so he can kiss his wife. "I-- wow." He shakes his head.
"What?"
"Nothing," he says, looking away with an embarrassed smile. "It's just that after all these years, you'd think I'd be used to how beautiful you are."
Sydney feels tears spring to her eyes. "God, I love you," she says, pulling him toward her for another kiss. The kids are still there, Jack telling Emily jokes that send her into gales of laughter, but Sydney barely notices. All she can see is the gorgeous man before her who, after all this time, still looks at her like she is the most amazing thing he's ever seen.
"What do you need to do to get ready?" she finally manages to ask.
He checks his watch. "Doesn't look like I have time for a shower," he says. "But I want to change. Jake asked if we wanted to go out with him and Heather for a bite after we've made an appearance at the opening, is that okay? Or are you and Baby hungry now?" he asks, touching her stomach.
"Baby and I are fine," she says with a laugh.
"Baby's name is Sam," Emily informs her.
"Emily, sweetie, you're going to have to get used to the idea that the baby might be a girl," Sydney says, smoothing a hand over her daughter's hair affectionately.
"But I want it to be a boy."
Sydney sighs. "Be a good girl and come with Mommy to find something for Amanda to fix you and Jack for dinner."
"I want pasketti," Emily says immediately.
"Spaghetti-os, maybe," Sydney responds. "Michael, do you want to go ahead and get ready? I'll come up in a minute."
"Sure, baby."
By the time she makes her way up to their bedroom, he is already shrugging into a gray suit jacket. "I love you in that suit," she says, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind and kissing his neck.
"Thanks, sweetheart," Michael says, smiling at her.
"So, we don't have plans for tomorrow night, do we?" Sydney asks, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "Audrey Byrne asked if we wanted to bring the kids over and have dinner," she says, naming Amanda and Aaron's mother. "She invited our new neighbors, the Maguires, too-- have you met them yet?"
"I met Trent for a minute the other day, I haven't met his wife or kids," Michael says, checking out his reflection in the mirror. "He's a cardiologist, I guess, and I think his wife is a stay at home mom, like you. I'm glad we'll have a chance to talk to them more, their daughter is about the same age as Emily. She turns four in June, I think he said."
"Oh, good, Emily needs a little friend," Sydney says delightedly. "Do they have other kids?"
Michael bites his lower lip as if trying to remember. "A one year old? A boy."
"How sweet," Sydney says with a smile, shifting on the bed. "So, about tonight. The artist is the daughter of a client?"
"Rebecca Harrison, daughter of Neil Harrison, founder of the Harrison Foundation for the Arts," Michael confirms.
"Your firm's representing charitable organizations now?" Sydney teases, standing and brushing imaginary lint from his lapel. "I thought you only handled evil corporations."
"Hey, is it my fault if the evil corporations are the only ones who can afford us?" Michael responds with a smile.
"Mmm, you're worth every penny, aren't you, baby?" Sydney says silkily, trailing kisses down his neck. "Best attorney in the city."
"Just the city?"
She smiles. "The country." She toys with the buttons of his pale blue shirt, wanting very badly to rip it off of him. "You're so talented." A kiss on the neck. "Smart." Another. "Powerful."
"Why do we have to go to this thing tonight again?" he asks, tracing one finger along the low neckline of her dress.
"I don't know," she says, shivering a little at his touch. "I think it's good for your career, or something."
"Really?" Now his lips begin making a trail down her neck, and she gasps. "Because right now I'm having a hard time remembering what could possibly be more important than throwing you down on the bed and--"
The doorbell rings.
"Not now, Amanda," Michael groans.
Sydney laughs. "Later, baby," she promises, taking his hand. "Come on. The sooner we make an appearance, the sooner we can leave."
